The Dark Fic
by DarkStar15
Summary: This features death, evil, and a twisted H/D/Hr love circle, but it also features cheerleaders, muggle drugs and OCs that bite (hard) when nicknamed ‘Mary-Sue’. It’s like a packet of Bertie Botts beans: just bite in and hope you don't get earwax fl
1. Darkness

The Dark Fic, or 'That Which Must Not Be Named' 

by **DarkStar **and their (evil) muses

(see Chapter 1 for details)

**Prologue – _Darkness Descends_**

The sky was dark over Durmstrang when it happened.

It was dinnertime, and the students and teachers were, as usual, all gathered in the main dining hall.

There was the normal, powerful smell of the rich dishes served by the house elves; tonight a splendid roast boar with full trimmings adorned each of the tables.

There was the normal loud chatter, a cacophony of voices filling and echoing through the room, including a heated debate between the potions master and the transfiguration master over 'proper' use of Polyjuice potion.

There was the normal seating plan; a table for each year and one for the teachers, with a huddle of students around Viktor Krum's younger brother Trevor, who was trying to sell fake autographed copies of the seeker's new autobiography, 'Krum by Krum' to unsuspecting (and filthy rich) first years.

So absorbed were they in their routine that they weren't aware of anything else until it was too late, and even then, very few noticed more than a flash of green when the stone walls were blown apart, as a second wave of light flowed over them, their thick fur cloaks offering no protection as they were pulled down into a final slumber.

As the smoke cleared under the familiar symbol glowing brightly in the sky, the few students who had survived lay on the ground and wept, the stinging rain falling all around them offering no relief.

...

At that moment, Harry Potter sat up in his bed in Gryffindor tower, gasping at the pain in his forehead.  Knowing that sleep would offer no solace, he mechanically pulled his Invisibility Cloak round himself and set off to the kitchens for some hot chocolate, resolving to visit Dumbledore after breakfast for the third time this week.


	2. There and Back Again

The Dark Fic, or That Damned Fic, or The-Fic-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named 

By DarkStar and their gaggle of all singing, all dancing evil muses

**Disclaimer: **We don't own them.  Which is really just as well, seeing as, if we did, we'd be too busy fighting over Draco to get any fics written, or do anything else for that matter.  Plus DK'd be trying to set Draco and Hermione up while S_Star'd be trying to set Draco and Harry up, and then in DK's verse, Ron would get jealous of 'Mione and try and kill himself, and it would all be REALLY messy.   With Harry and Draco together, Ron would live, because he could get with 'Mione, unless she went off with Krum or someone, but then all the focus would be taken off S_Star's fluffy Sirius and Remus subplot.  And then we'd probably both just think 'what the hell' and go off to write Buffy fiction.  *shrug* Still, it's kinda of a shame, I guess.

**Summary: **This is 'the dark fic', which isn't really all that dark.  OK, so it features death, evil, Voldemort and a really twisted H/D/Hr love circle, but it also features cheerleaders, muggle drugs and OCs that bite (hard) when nicknamed 'Mary-Sue'.  It's like a packet of Bertie Botts beans – just bite in and hope you don't get earwax flavour!

**Pairings: **D/H, D/Hr, H/Hr (it's a circle.  Not a triangle, a circle), OFC/OMC (teehee, always fun...), SB/RL, and some pairings that aren't worth mentioning just yet (don't wanna spoil the surprise)...

**Rating: **R

**Dedication: **S_Star would like to dedicate this to 2 people and one imaginary creature.  First, my lovely co-writer DK (*ripple of applause*) whose idea it was in the first place.  Second, our beta reader ShadowDreamer – I'll get you hooked yet, my pretty, and your green men, too! Mwahahaha!  Third, to my evilest muse, Draco the Mallard, without whom none of this would have been possible.  Hah, now you can't say I don't appreciate you, duck!

DK would like to dedicate this to all her online friends!

**AN from S_Star, because she wrote the disclaimer and stuff: **Hola!  Well, I can't write much about this chapter; it was one of DK's except a quick edit and a long phone call about what to call cut-off cargo pants on guys.  But I would like to say 'REVIEW' because I would like some feedback on the disclaimer.  It's one of my more rambling disclaimers, and not a masterpiece, but I do try – should I continue, or copy and paste the default 'JK Rowling and Bloomsbury' one?  Decisions, decisions...very OT decisions, too.  Maybe I'll just shut up and write the next chapter...

**AN from DKFairy because she wrote this chapter and probably has more relevant comments to make than her co-writer: **Read & review!  Flames are okay, just mind the swearing.  Oh, and Sally-Anne Perks is actually a canon character, even if you don't recognise her.

**CHAPTER THE FIRST – _There and Back Again_**

"Just think," said Ron in an awestruck voice. "When we come back here in September, we'll be in our last year. Makes you feel old, doesn't it?"

The three friends were walking down the steps at the front of the castle, getting ready to board the train at Hogsmeade Station that would take them all back to London, and from there, home. It was a sunny day, and most of the school were disappointed that on such a lovely day they would have to sit on a train for eight hours.

Harry turned around to take one last look at the school that had become his home, knowing that it would be a long two months before he would see it again. Thinking about this, and what Ron had just said, saddened him. What would he do when he had to leave Hogwarts? He supposed that it wouldn't be hard for him to find a job, but what did he actually want to do? Fight Voldemort. Although more of a duty, that was the obvious answer, but that wouldn't pay him, would it.  Maybe if he became an Auror….

His thoughts were cut short by Hermione, as she prodded him in the side.

"You haven't been listening to a word that I said, have you? Honestly Harry..." She pulled a mock hurt face and the trio burst into laughter again. What was the point in being depressed now, he had a whole summer to do that.

They sat down on the bottom step to wait for the carriages, he had decided to come down early, preferring to sit in the sun for an extra half hour than to be stuck in the common room. 

Ron pulled out a pack of playing cards and set them out on the ground in front of him to play solitaire, and Harry leaned back onto the step behind him as Hermione pulled up her skirt and stretched her legs out, both intent on catching some sun. Ron wasn't all that keen on sunbathing: he suffered, as most redheads did, of being prone to burn. 

All three of them had changed over the years, grown up and developed as all teenagers do. 

Harry had changed the most, especially over the last year or so, which had seen him shoot up in height and gain some muscles, payback from years of hard Quidditch training. His hair was as unruly as ever, but it suited him. People doubted that he be the same if he ever managed to tame his hair. It being the last day of term he had opted to wear his own clothes, rather than change on the train. He wore cut off black cargo pants and a sleeveless white t-shirt, going for a casual look. 

Hermione was certainly no longer the child she had been when she first arrived at Hogwarts, nearly 6 years ago. Gone were the frizzy hair and buck teeth, the baggy clothes and bad shoes. Hermione was a beautiful young woman and proud of it. Long slim legs were tanned from so many afternoons spent sunbathing near the lake, her chest was noticeably larger and her perfectly curled dark brown hair fell down to the small of her back. Hoping to catch more of the sun she had chosen to simply wear a strappy t-top and a short tennis skirt, which she had hitched up when she sat down, to get more sun on her legs. 

Ron was still the redhead of the group, but you couldn't say that he was unattractive. Two years of Quidditch had given him muscles, nowhere near as defined as Harry's, but still there. He was tall, not much taller than Harry, but still nearly a head above Hermione. He wore blue jeans and a sky blue short sleeved shirt, trying to hide as much of himself as was possible from the sun without overheating himself in the progress. 

They casually joked and chatted as they waited in the sunshine, for this one moment carefree, just being normal teenagers. Ron soon gave up playing on his own and invited the others to join him in a game of Go Fish. Soon shrieks of laughter were heard from the trio as the cards flew all over the place as they were dropped or thrown in attempts to win or to swap cards in time. 

Within ten minutes they were rolling on the floor in hysterics and the game had to be abandoned. Instead they decided to just discuss holiday plans, as there was little else they could do. All their games were in their trunks on the platform of the station, waiting to be collected as they got onto the train. 

None of them had any particular plans for the holidays that could include the others. Ron would be abroad with is family for the summer visiting Bill. They couldn't really afford to take anyone else, but Mrs. Weasley had asked anyway. Both Harry and Hermione had refused, neither wanting to put any pressure on their friend's family.

That left nothing much for the others to do. Hermione's parents were working the whole summer, and the Dursleys had once again forbidden Harry to go anywhere, do anything, or see anyoneover the holidays. 

The only chance that they had of seeing each other would be if Hermione could take the train to go and visit Harry, but she seriously doubted that she would be allowed: her parents were definitely the protective type. The three of them could laugh at their misfortune now, but it was unlikely that they would be laughing during the summer. 

Still sitting there, they laughed and chatted, not knowing that they were being watched from the shadows.

Draco Malfoy stood still as he watched them. He had just come out to see if the transport was here yet, and had nearly tripped over them. He took a step back and stared at them.

The Golden Trio, they had been named, and he could see why. All relatively clever, especially Granger, and all very attractive. If it were not for the fact that they were Gryffindors, he might have wanted them in his group, although the mudblood might have caused difficulties. As it was, their groups of friends hated each other with a passion. It always gave him something to do, winding up the Dream Team.

They were talking about the holidays, laughing and joking about their bad luck. Draco allowed himself a smile, knowing that he would have fun. Summer holidays had always been good for Draco, it was a chance to spend time with his family. His father wasn't there, but, to be honest, that counted as a bonus. 

The smile turned into a smirk as he heard the telltale rattle of the carriages coming up the drive towards the castle. Stepping out of the shadows behind the trio, he coughed loudly and kicked stones at their backs.

They swung round to face him as the sun glinted off of his platinum hair. He casually leaned back on to the short wall that lined the steps and observed what they were wearing. He himself wore black jeans and vest top, and he knew he looked good. The top brought out his muscles and his teeth were perfectly white against his tan skin. He had to admit that the trio didn't look half bad either, though he would never tell them that.

"I'm soooo sorry," he drawled as they glared at him. "Honestly, my foot slipped." He smirked at them, just so they got the point. Ron looked mad, but the other two, much more laid back, simply raised their eyebrows and turned back to stand up, ready to board the carriages.

 Seeing that their companion was still glaring at the newcomer they both rolled their eyes and turned to him.

"Look Ron, the Slytherin scum isn't worth the time of day, just ignore him."

"Yeah, listen to Hermione. He's just a Malfoy, none of them are worth getting worked up over. Ignore him and maybe he'll go away. He obviously has a very boring life if he has to spend all his time trying to annoy us." 

The last two sentences were directed at Draco, and all three broke out in silent laughter when the Slytherin spun around and stalked back into the entrance hall, probably to go get his friends. Before he could return, they friends ran to the first coach and climbed inside, enjoying the respite from the sun's heat.

Once sitting down, they returned to their earlier conversation, now also taking turns to mimic Malfoy. By the time they had reached the station they were weak from laughing so hard.

They jumped out of the carriage, not caring how juvenile they looked and set about finding their trunks. This was the main reason they tried to get to the station early. It was almost impossible to find your luggage with a hundred other people looking for theirs all around you. They had learned from experience that if they were the first to arrive it would be another half hour before the big rush pulled in, giving them perfect time to find their belongings.

Suddenly Hermione stood up straight and banged her hand against her head. "I'm so stupid! Why didn't I think of it before? Why didn't anyone else think of it before?!"

"Mione, what are you on about?!"

"The trunks! I mean, how to find them." She looked at the thousand or so trunks piled around the platform, none of them stacked, just lying around. "It's not as if we can't use magic while we're still here!"

Turning to smile at the two lost looking boys she laughed and then held up her wand. 

"Accio trunk!"

A suitcase on the other end of the platform rose into the air and began to glide towards them. When it landed, they leaned down to inspect the label. Sure enough, there in neat handwriting were the words 'Hermione Granger, Gryffindor'. 

"Wow, Herm! That was good thinking. Wonder why no one else did think of it…"

"Probably not allowed to do that," muttered Ron. "I mean it would be pretty dangerous if the platform was crowded…"

Harry turned to his friend and hit him round the head. "Don't be such a spoil sport Ron! If we're the only ones here then nothing is stopping us, right?" He turned to glance at Hermione who merely smiled at him. Taking out their own wands the boys summoned their trunks, although Ron snapped his spell out, resulting in him being forced to jump out of the way or else be sent flying as the trunk sped towards him.

Dragging their luggage onto the train would have been a little too hard on such a hot day, so they settled for floating them on. Quickly finding their favourite compartment, they opened their trunks and pulled out various items to amuse themselves with on the long journey. 

Ron took out a well worn pack of exploding snap and Hermione dragged out a very thick book from her bag. Seeing the looks on her friends' faces, she laughed. 

"I'm not going to read it! I just need something to lean on, if you wanted me to keep score, and I want to draw."

The boys relaxed and Ron passed the cards to Harry to shuffle. It was strange that someone who had had so little contact with cards before they came to Hogwarts would be the best at shuffling, but he was. Dealing out the cards didn't take much time and soon they were busy playing. 

After about twenty minutes they started to hear others arriving and they finished their game, knowing that soon their other friends would be coming in to chat to them.

Sure enough, not five minutes later two familiar heads popped around the door.

"Hey guys! We were wondering where you were, you left early," Ginny Weasley laughed, obviously in high spirits and looking forward to the holidays. Standing behind her, Dean Thomas leaned over her shoulder and then stepped into the room to collapse onto one of the seats.

"It's alright, I'll leave in a moment, I just need to get my breath back. You would not believe the hassle I've had trying to find my fucking trunk. I swear, if I hadn't been held back I would've killed some of those first years. They just stood there, in everyone's way, looking lost!"

The Golden Trio shared a look and laughed.

"Aw, Dean. Don't you remember when you were a first year and you stood around like that?"

"I probably did, and the others probably wanted to kill me then, so who am I to break tradition?"

Ginny had come to sit next to Hermione and she glanced at what she was drawing and promptly burst out laughing. With her hand over her mouth she gasped for breath as the others leaned in to look at what had been drawn on the paper.

Soon enough everyone in the compartment were leaning against each other in fits of giggles.

"That's bloody brilliant!" announced Ron in between laughing as he took another look at the caricature on Hermione's paper.

"Wow, Herm! I thought I was a good artist!"

"You are, Dean," giggled Hermione as she took another look at her own work. "Let's just say that I had a lot of inspiration."

"What are you going to do with it? If Malfoy sees it he'll wring your neck!"

"I'm not scared of him, but I think I ought to keep it out of his way. He definitely won't like it." She smirked as she glanced at the drawing of him with his nose in the air, looking like the snotty idiot he was. "I might frame it and hang it in my new room at Hogwarts. I'll be surprised if he'll ever go in there."  ****

When the laughter had finally subsided Ginny and Dean announced that they ought to leave before their friends sent out search parties. They were not the last people to visit the compartment. 

Not long after they'd left, Neville turned up looking for his cat. Since fifth year when Trevor the toad had died, Neville had had a cat. It was definitely an improvement on the toad, but the cat had to be the most accident prone and uncoordinated of its species.

Conner the cat was hilarious, and members of Gryffindor often joked about him, but if anyone else were to say a word against him they would be up in arms. Conner was a favourite in the house, and they were proud to have two such rarities of the species as him and Crookshanks. Both felines were as ungraceful as possible, although Crookshanks could at least hunt without falling over his own feet.

One thing Conner did have in common with Trevor was the instinct to get as far away from Neville as possible. It was not that either of the pets disliked him, because they clearly adored the boy. Whatever it was it had everyone baffled. This did, however, result in Neville still having to spend half of his time searching for his pet, and people had by now got used to the questions.

"Um…have you guys seen Conner anywhere? I had him last night, but I can't find him now. I don't suppose he's with Crookshanks, Hermione?"

The three friends looked in pity at Neville.

"Don't worry, he probably came down with the luggage like Crookshanks did. You'll see, he'll turn up when he wants to," Hermione comforted Neville. "You know what he's like."

Crookshanks had indeed come down with the luggage and had sauntered into the compartment after Ginny and Dean had left. He was presently curled up on a seat, hissing at anyone who came too close. Hermione looked over at him and smiled, although not even she dared to get too close to his personal space.

Shaking his head in defeat Neville left. Harry and Ron personally had the theory that the easiest way to find Conner would just be to follow the howls of laughter, but thought better than to tell Neville that.

When things had settled down some and everyone was relaxing, their thoughts turned back to Malfoy.

"Wonder where he is?" muttered Ron, and seeing the confused looks on his friends' faces, explained. "Malfoy. He's usually come by to insult us at least once by now, but we haven't had anything yet. It worries me."

"Yeah, who knows what he's planning?  I don't even want to know what's going on in his twisted mind."  Harry shuddered at the thought.

"Maybe he's finally given up," answered Hermione brightly. "You never know what miracles may have happened."

"Somehow I think I'm going to go with the 'he's planning something' idea, Herm."

Harry shook his head and gazed out of the window and Ron went back to his card set, which he had just set out to play solitaire again.

Hermione looked at her friends for a second and then went back to drawing, this time a proper image of the two boys. She smiled to herself as she thought about how lucky she was to have such good friends and soon lost herself in thought.

A bang at the door a while later woke up the occupants of the carriage with a start. They looked around in shock; they hadn't even realised that they gone to sleep. Hermione had leaned over so that she was curled up on the seat, her head next to an oddly friendly Crookshanks and her feet on the space next to her. Luckily her drawings had landed face down next to her. Harry was asleep with his head against the window and Ron was face down on the small table amidst his playing cards.

Whoever it was knocked at the door again and then threw it open. Hermione sneaked a look at her watch before they stepped through and sighed in relief when she realised that they had only been asleep for about forty minutes.

"Well, what do we have here…" Malfoy's voice cut through the air and the trio groaned.

"Fuck, don't you have anything better to do than try to piss us off, Malfoy?" snapped Ron as he reshuffled his cards and laid them out again.

"Why, Weasel, no need to lose your temper; tutt, tutt…"

"Look, Malfoy, we all know that you take great pleasure in annoying us, but can't you for once just think of something else to do? Your life can't be so bad that tormenting us is the only thing that brings you joy. Now, I was having a very nice dream in which you were dead. Can you please leave me alone so I can go back to it?!"

Ron and Malfoy both stared at her as she ended her tirade, but Harry only winked and gave her a small smile.

"So, the kitten does have claws after all." Draco seemed to have found his voice again and was smirking at Hermione.

"I thought you found that out in third year, Draco," Harry finally spoke up, a smile on his lips as he taunted the Slytherin. "You remember, when she slapped you and practically sent you flying across the entrance hall? Or had you forgotten…?"

Draco smirked again and turned to leave. "I'll be seeing you next year. I do believe that we will be getting better acquainted, Hermione."

"Hope the door hits you on the way out," muttered Ron as Draco left. "What did he mean with that last bit anyway, Herm?"

"Oh-- he's going to be Head Boy and I'm gonna be Head Girl."

"Draco? Head Boy?"

"Yeah, I know. I think we have his dad to thank: it's amazing what money can do."

"Don't worry, 'Mione, at least you know that you got it on pure talent."

"Yeah. Do you guys mind if I go back to sleep? I really wasn't kidding about that dream."

They giggled again and then drifted back to sleep, except Ron, who whiled away the hours playing more card games. He had instructions to wake Harry when the food trolley came along, but not Hermione. All in all, it was a peaceful end to an action packed year. 

When the train pulled into the station the friends yawned and stretched, smiles on their faces that you only get when you've had a good long sleep. 

Gathering together luggage and various animals, they made their way off the train and onto the platform, trying to avoid overenthusiastic first years who were running to parents.

"Oh well, I guess I'll see you guys next year. I'm sure gonna miss you."

Just as Ron stepped away from them, Dumbledore's voice cut through the air. He sounded worried and scared, something that was not usually heard from him.

"Students and Parents, I would like to make an announcement. I am sorry for the inconvenience, and I very much regret that I must take such action, but I have just received some very worrying news and for their safety I must ask some students to stay at school this holiday. Once again, I am sorry. The gate to the Muggle world has been temporarily closed, but will be reopened when all the students I have requested have returned to the train. You will, of course, have a few minutes with your families first. The following students:

Terry Boot...

...Justin Finch- Fletchley...

...Hermione Granger...

...Neville Longbottom...

...Sally- Anne Perks...

...Harry Potter...

...Dean Thomas...

The list went on until at least a hundred pupils had had their names read out.

Hermione and Harry glanced at each other.

"At least I won't be stuck with the Dursleys all summer, and we can still see each other…"

"Harry, did you see what all those names had in common?"

"Yeah- I was hoping it was a fluke, but everyone on that list either has parents hurt by Voldemort, or is muggle born like you….I wonder what happened. It must be terrible if Dumbledore is worried, and students have never been kept at school during the summer, not even when things were really bad."

"Look, I have to go see my parents, you go get me a seat Harry and I'll see you soon Ron. I'll miss you."

"Yeah Ron, I'll owl you when we get back to school and tell you what this is all about, okay?"

"Sure, hope you have a better holiday now!" And so, with a last smile and a wave, Ron was gone for two months.

Hermione ran off to find her parents, no longer bothering to drag her trunk. Terry Boot had appeared beside Harry and offered to help him move their belongings back onto the train. Terry and Harry got along quite well; they had both been prefects together the year before. 

There were always two lots of prefects with different jobs, sixth year prefects, who still lived in the dormitories and dealt with keeping the individual houses and students under control, and the seventh year prefects, who lived separately and had to organise a lot more. 

The two prefects decided to share the compartment on the way back to school with some of the others from their year that were heading back.

As they were walking back to meet Dumbledore, Terry noticed something.

"Did you notice that not one of those names came from Slytherin?"

"You're right. I bet this has something to do with Voldemort, he's been quiet for far too long."

"Don't say his name!"

" 'Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself.' Dumbledore told me that and it's true."

A large group had surrounded the headmaster now, made up of students who were staying, and those who were nosy and just wanted to find out what was going on. Parents were shouting, some first-years were sobbing and there was just general chaos. They soon found Hermione with Sally, the other Ravenclaw prefect, both of whom had managed to lose their parents in the crowd. Neither seemed too bothered about this, in fact they looked rather pleased.

"My parents were being so annoying," admitted Sally. "Honestly, they have got to be the most infuriating people alive!"

"Put it this way," laughed Hermione, who was hiding behind Harry to avoid her own parents. "You have the whole summer and all of next year away from them."

Just then Dumbledore called for quiet. His voice may not have been loud, but immediate silence still followed.

"I am sorry to announce that in the last twenty-four hours, ten schools of magic worldwide have been attacked by Voldemort. The death count so far is at over nine thousand. Those of you that have been asked to stay have been because I think you are at particular risk. Hogwarts has ancient spells surrounding it that make it impenetrable by even the darkest magics: you will be safe there. Those who will remain are either Muggle-born and will therefore not be protected by a trained witch or wizard should they be attacked or have had families particularly targeted in the past. We realise how hard this must be and we offer our condolences to all those who have lost family and friends in these tragic attacks."

The stunned crowd remained silent long after Dumbledore had finished speaking. Some people just looked dazed while others cried silently or wept into friend's shoulders. 

Harry and Terry looked dazed, although Harry had a glint in his eyes that said that when he got the chance Voldemort was dead.

Hermione cried, leaning into Sally as she also shed tears. How could someone, even Voldemort, kill all those children, all those innocents?

Further back in the crowd, the Weasley family wept together, drawing comfort from each other.

Apart from the group, Draco Malfoy stood alone and let silent tears trickle down his face. No one knew why he cried.

Families said last goodbyes until Christmas and students climbed lifelessly back onto the train. It was all too much.

Hermione and Sally wandered back to the compartment and collapsed into their seats. Crookshanks crawled carefully onto Hermione's lap as his way to offer comfort.

Harry, Terry, Justin and Neville settled into seats around the girls, but no one spoke. This train journey was not filled with laughter and jokes, and all doodles were forgotten. This was a time of mourning and silent contemplation. 

Even as darkness fell and sleep once again overcame them, not a word was spoken.

All this weeping in the air 

_Who can tell where it will fall?_

_Through floating forests in the air_

_'Cross the rolling open sea_

_Blow a kiss, I run through air_

_Leave the past, find nowhere_

_Floating forests in the air_

_Clowns all around you_

_Clowns that only let you know_

_Where you let your senses go_

_Clowns all around you_

_It's a cross I need to bear_

_All this black and cruel despair_

_This is an emergency_

_Don't you hide your eyes from me_

_Open them and see me now_

_Can you see me now?_

_Can you see me now?_

**Clowns** by TATU.


End file.
